Any students with hearing aids or hearing loss out there?

rbytsdy · Mar 22, 2010

I don't have personal experience but one of my instructors has worn a hearing aid for most of his life. He mentioned that he uses a cardiac stethoscope. He said it's expensive but worth it for him. We have another woman who wears her hearing aid in class and at clinicals.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 22, 2010

One of the girls in my class has hearing aids and uses a special cardiac one that amplifies sounds for her. She loves it.

metfan · Mar 22, 2010

I am in my 4th semester (graduate in May) and wear bilateral hearing aids. I have not have too many problems. Most students and teachers do not even know I wear them. I just got a Littmann 3100 electonic stethoscope and I love it. It amplifies sounds great. I do have to take out the hearing aids to use it which is a problem. Mostly because the hearing aids are so expensive. I am afraid of losing them. I just tuck them in a pouch in my pocket. I have an older pair that I sometimes wear to clinicals. I can get by without them so sometimes I leave them out for awhile if I know I am going to do blood pressures of lung sounds frequently. I sit in the front of the class during lectures. I chose to let the department head know of my "disability" when I entered the program. However, I never mentioned it to the other professors. I don't even know if they know I wear hearing aids. I sometimes get down on having hearing loss but my best friend in class has diabeties. I think she has it much harder. There is a forum under general for nurses with disabilities that you may find helpful. Metfan

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I am certain I have seen an association of hearing impaired nurses mentioned somewhere (I paraphrase). Perhaps it is a more general thing like disabled nurses (not my choice of term).

I just googled "hearing impaired nurses" and some interesting looking stuff came up but maybe not exactly what you are looking for. It did include some court hearings about reasonable accommodations. I hope you find a few people with experience that you can chat with.

Good luck.

MiahMSN, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

One of my classmates in my CNA class wears hearing aids and he didn't realize there may be an issue until someone brought in a stethoscope and he realized he couldn't take out his hearing aids. Oh, he was almost crushed at the thought of possibly having to drop out of the program and not being able to continue on with going further in nursing. But, he found a really great stethoschope that is designed for the hearing impaired. I think it was costly but more than worth it. I think he mentioned there were several different kinds (even one where the ear pieces are designed like headphones)! So do your research and make the investment, I'm sure you will find exactly what you need! Best of luck!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I am a nurse with a moderate hearing loss and wear a hearing aid in my right ear. I use a good steth - Littmann Cardiology III - and CAREFULLY place my most expensive item in a pocket. I don't need an amplified one but I can't hear anything through the cheap double-lumen Spragues.

seasoned hopeful · Mar 22, 2010

i wear hearing aids in both ears. i leave my aids in my ears and use an e-scope ii by cardionics. it is perfect because it has headphones instead of earpieces. half of my clinical group thought i was listening to music all this time. lol

this scope costs around $400, but to me it was worth it. i can still be a nurse.

that site is called the exceptional nurse. it is a great site, and you have a mentor if you wish to have one.

good luck, you can do it. pm me if you like

:nurse:

Peanutter1 · Mar 23, 2010

Thanks so much for all of your replies! I go tomorrow to be fitted for my hearing aids. It's nice to know there are people out there with the same difficulties. I have been able to get by okay, but am starting to feel embarrassed by the amount of information I'm missing while in clinicals or speaking to patients. Thanks again!